Golf practicing device



1952 c. F. VIATOR 3,049,353

GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Aug. 14, 1962 c. F. VIATOR GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledSept. 23, 1959 m mm United States Patent 3,049,353 GOLF PRACTICINGDEVICE Charles F. Viator, 2465 W. 46th St., Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept.23, 1959, Ser. No. 841,738 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-182) This is acontinuation in part of the application filed September 24, 1958, Ser.No. 763,150, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to golf practicing devices, and has forits main object the provision of a dismount-able frame, capable of beingeasily set upon a ground or a floor, for supporting at its upper end aslanted screen capable of stopping a golf ball at its trajectory,permitting the ball to drop in a downward direction to a scoop which issupported by and upon the lower portion of the frame.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a golfpracticing device, capable of being assembled and set either outdoors orindoors, whereby a golfer may practice the golf shots in privacy, withthe screen supported by the frame aforesaid being capable of stoppingthe shot ball at its various trajectories, and being capable of catchingthe ball before the same hits wall or ceiling when the device is setindoors, or before the ball is propelled to any great distance from thepracticing user when the device is set up outdoors.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in a golfpracticing device of a frame consisting of a comparatively small numberof parts capable of being easily set up or disassembled, for use andstorage or transportation, respectively, and which parts, when assembledare capable of supporting an inclined screen and a scoop or trapaforesaid, for the uses and purposes hereinbefore set forth.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision in agolf practicing device of the character hereinabove indicated of asubstantially U-shaped inverted frame member, slanted or inclinedtowards the golf practicing user, capable of receiving thereon a screenor panel capable of stopping the projected golf balls, the latterfalling into a hammock-like chute or scoop disposed therebelow, whichsaid scoop is positioned at a downwardly directed incline, whereby thegolf balls falling thereon may roll ofi from the front end of the scoopand fall upon the ground and in the direction of the user in position tobe hit by a conventional golf club.

With the above general objects in view and other that will appear as theinvention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstmction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, and in which likedesignating characters refer to correspond ing parts throughout theseveral views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled frame constituting a partof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the present device, partly brokenaway, illustrating the operative position of the screen and the scoopwith relation to the frame and their connecting means therewith;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the frame, with the upper, U-shapedframe member, and the screen supported thereby in cross section on avertical plane, with the scoop partly in section;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of one bar of said U-shapedframe member and the supporting post with which the former disengageablyconnects, further illustrating in cross section the connecting means ofthe scoop with the lower end of the bar of said U-shaped frame member;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the 'ice connectingjoint between the lower end of one of the upright bars of said U-shapedframe member and the cooperating supporting post with which the formeris disengageably connected;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of one bar of said U-shapedframe member and the supporting post with which the formerdis-engageably connects, further illustrating in cross section therelationship of the front panel of the upper case and the lower scoopwhich defines a trap for upwardly moving golf balls.

Referring to the present drawings, there is shown therein a pair ofoblong, end supporting members 10, which are interconnected by means ofa pair of parallelly disposed cross bars 11, which, at their ends areconnected in a superimposed relation with said supporting members 10, bymeans of dowel pins 12. Said supporting members 10 in the operativeassembled position of the frame are adapted to contact by their lowerfaces with the ground or floor for supporting thereon the entire framework of the present device. Nailed, or otherwise rigidly afiixed to theends of said supporting members 10 are blocks 13, which by their upperends extend above the planes of the upper faces of said supportingmembers 10.

Each of said blocks 13 at its upper portion which extends above theadjacent supporting member 10 is provided with a bore disposed in anangular relation with the block, both on horizontal and vertical planesthereof, for insertion therewithin in frictional relation with each ofsaid blocks 13, of the rear end of the rear section 14 of the scoopsupporting arm. The two bores in the said blocks 13 are so formed as tomaintain the two scoop supporting arms in a mutually laterally divergentrelation in the forward direction with relation to the frame, as well asin an angular position with relation to said supporting members 10, asis clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The scoop supporting arms also include the front sections 15 which areconnected with the front ends of said rear sections 14 in an end to endrelation by means of sliding sleeves 16.

Made in said supporting members 10, forwardly of the rear cross bar 11are upright bores for receiving therewithin in a frictional relationwith said supporting members 10, the lower ends of posts 17.

Said supporting members 10, cross bars 11, dowel pins 12, and blocks 13may be made of wood or any other suitable material, such as plastic,because such material more readily lends itself to quick assembly anddismounting, as well as adds to the frictional connection of the scoopsupporting rear sections 14 with blocks 13 and of posts 17 withsupporting members 10. Said sections 14, 15 and posts 17 are preferablymade of aluminum or any other suitable metallic tubes.

The screen supporting frame member is substantially in the shape of aninverted U, and includes "a pair of side bars 18 and the horizontal bar19 connected in any suitable manner by its ends with the upper ends ofsaid side bars 18. One of the connecting means between said side bars 18and said horizontal bar 19 is suggested in FIG. 2, wherein there isshown a cylindrical member 20 inserted into and rigidly held within eachof the open ends of the vertical end sections of said horizontal bar 19,past each elbow of said horizontal bar. The projecting end of each ofsaid cylindrical members 20 freely enters the opening of the upper endof each of said side bars 18. By virtue of this arrangement saidhorizontal bar 19 is disengageable from the adjacent ends of said bars18, whereby the said U-shaped frame member may be readily disassembledfor the purposes of storage or transportation.

Adjacent the lower end each of said side bars 18 is bent to define elbow21, whereby major upper portions of said side bars 18, above said elbow21 are inclined toward the golf practicing user of the device.

Inserted within the lower upright portion of each of said side bars 18,and held therewithin in a tight frictional relation, below elbow 21, isa cylindrical member 22, the lower free end of which freely enters theadjacent open end of post 17, as seen in FIG. 5, for the purpose ofdisengageably interconnecting the lower ends of said side bars 18 withthe upper ends of said posts 17, by virtue of which arrangement the saidinverted U-shaped frame member, including said side bars 13 and thehorizontal bar 19 are easily removed from or connected with said posts17.

For reasons hereinabove indicated, the said inverted U- shaped framemember 18-19 is preferably made tubular, and if preferred the side bars18 thereof may be integrally formed with the said horizontal bar 19.

The scoop, generally indicated by 23 in FIG. 3, defining a downwardlyextending incline along which the golf balls are capable of rollingtowards the user and adapted to fall therefrom to the ground to be hitby a golf club, as already mentioned, includes a horizontal hem portion24 made in the form of a horizontal strip of any convenient width, whichat its ends is provided with sleeves 25 within which the lower ends ofside bars 18 are insertable prior to connecting said side bars 18 withthe upper ends of posts 17 through the medium of said cylindricalmembers 22. Upon insertion of the said lower ends of side bars 18 withinsaid sleeves 25, the latter are shifted therealong in an upwarddirection, until said sleeves 25 clear said elbows 21. Each of said sidebars above elbows 21 is provided with transverse, diametric opening 26(FIG. Sleeves 25 are provided with corresponding, diametrically alinedapertures 27 (FIG. 2), for reception therethrough and openings 26 ofdowel pins 28, or any other suitable fasteners, for supportin the upperend of said scoop 23 in a rigidly engaged relation with the lower end ofthe said inverted U-shaped frame 18-19.

The hem portion or strip 24 is connected with the lower ends of the sidebars 18, by inserting the latter within said sleeves 25 and prior tojoining the said lower ends of the side bars 18 with the upper ends ofposts 17 through the cylindrical connecting members 22 as aforesaid. Inthe operative position of said strip 24 upon the lower ends of said sidebars 18 the said strip is maintained in a stretched, taut condition. Thesaid strip 24- and sleeves 25 are formed of canvas or any suitablefabric material.

Scoop 23, formed of canvas, netting or any other suitable fabricmaterial, has a substantially trapezoidal form when in a level spreadcondition, with its upper, narrower end extending from the lower edge ofsaid strip 24, with which it is either integrally formed or connectedthereto by stitches.

Adjacent each side of the trapezoidal sheet, on the underface thereof,and in the proximity of the longer, front end of the sheet, is a pocket,including sleeve 29 and end wall 30, the latter blocking the front endof said sleeve 29. In effect said sleeve 29 and end wall 30 define a capinsertable upon the front end of each scoop supporting arm 14-15, forthereby supporting the front, wider end of scoop 23 in the operativeposition upon the frame of the device. Pocket 29-30 may be easilydisengaged from the said supporting arms 14-15, by shifting the formerin a forward direction until cleared from the front sections of the saidsupporting arms.

By virtue of the angular and mutually outwardly divergent relation ofthe scoop supporting arms 14-15, in the direction away from thesupporting blocks 13, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the nonparallel sides ofthe trapezoidal sheet that go into the formation of said scoop 23,remain in a mutually divergent relation in the direction away from saidstrip 24, and towards the front ends of the said scoop supporting arms14-15, for defining outwardly flaring flaps 31, which extend laterallyfrom the central body portion of scoop 23, and which are narrower attheir upper ends and wider at their lower ends, as is clearly seen inFIG. 2.

Due to the fact that said scoop supporting arms 14-15 are in an angularrelation with the ground upon which the frame is set up, with theirfront ends being spaced farther away from the ground than their rearends are, the front end of scoop 23 is supported in a spaced relationwith the ground, as seen in FIG. 3.

Note is made of the fact that the front ends of the scoop supportingarms 14-15 are not spaced from each other so as to cause any unduestretching of scoop 23, thereby permitting a degree of sagging of thefabric material of which the scoop is made along the longitudinal centerof the scoop, thereby effecting a hammock-like chute, the bottomperimeter of which is upon a longitudinal are as at 32, whichsubstantially coincides with the longitudinal center of scoop 23, andwhich is upon a plane spaced in a downward direction from the plane uponwhich the marginal edges of said flaps 31 are located. On transverseplane said flaps 31 and the central body portion of scoop 23 are alsoarcuate.

Due to the stress exerted upon the front end Strip of scoop 23 in atransverse direction brought about by the connection thereof with thefront ends of arms 14-15 through pockets 29-30 and the comparativelygreater degree of sagging of the scoop at its portion rearwardly of thesaid strip, the latter resulting from the greater weight of the scoopbody portion rearwardly of the front strip thereof and hence from thegreater gravitational force thereon, the front end of scoop 23 along itsbottom flares upon an arc in an upward direction, as at 33 in FIGS. 2and 3. The dip resulting from the sagging portion 33 of the scoop has atendency of slowing the rolling ball as it returns to the user so as tofacilitate fast and easy placement of a golf ball for repeating the shotthereof.

An envelope-like case, generally indicated by 34 in FIG. 2, is of asubstantially rectangular formation corresponding to the outline of saidinverted 'U-shaped frame member 18-19, and is closed on its three sides,having its bottom side open, as at 35 (FIG. 3). Said case 34 isinsertable over the upper end of said frame member 18-19 until its upperclosed side comes in contact with the horizontal bar 19 of the saidframe member to assume an operative position therewith shown in FIGS. 2and 3. In that operative position said case 34 defines a forwardlydisposed panel 36 and a reaiwvardly disposed panel 37, with the marginallower portion thereof, adacent its open side, assuming an alined,skirting relation with strip 24 and sleeves 25, completely enclosing thelatter in a superimposed relation, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, inits operative position upon the said U-shaped frame member 18-19, saidcase 34 remains in an ensheathing relation therewith and with the saidstrip 24 and sleeves 25. In the operative position of the said case 34upon the said U-shaped frame member 18-19, the front panel 36 of thecase functions as a screen capable of stopping in their trajectoriesgolf balls projected thereagainst by a golf club.

Said case 34 may be made of canvas or similar comparatively soft fabricmaterial and need not be supported upon the said U-shaped frame member18-19 in a greatly stretched, taut condition thereon so that the frontpanel 36 presents a cushioned, non-deflecting surface for golf ballsprojected thereagainst, depriving impetus thereto as they strike thesaid front panel 36, causing the golf balls to fall in a downwardvertical direction upon scoop 23 to roll off therefrom as washereinabove mentioned. Golf balls of lesser trajectories hitting anypoint of scoop 23 will have a tendency to roll in an upward direction.In order to prevent such balls from rolling upon said panel 36 in anupward direction and thereupon uncontrollably falling therefrom, thelower end of panel 36 may be spaced away from said strips 24 to permitsuch latter balls to be directed within said case 34, from which due togravity they will roll back in a downward direction and fall back uponscoop 23 through the opening defined by the spaced end of panel 36.

The downwardly flaring flaps 31 also present the ball arresting surfacesfor golf balls of low trajectories, especially for golf balls projectedat lateral angles when struck not squarely against the central bodyportion of scoop 23 or screen panel 36.

It is further observed that the rear section 14 of the scoop supportingarms 14-45, in the assembled condition of the frame, remain in anoutward contactual relation with posts 17, as is clearly seen in FIG. 1,by virtue of which arrangement any undue flexing of the front ends ofthe said arms, when weighted by the said scoop 23, is prevented, therebyobviating any undesirable degree of sagging of the front end of saidscoop 23, tending to maintain the front end of said scoop 23 in anelevated position from the ground, as is seen in FIG. 3.

Golf balls to be shot or projected against the device may be supportedor teed upon a rubber pad or the like laid upon a floor or any groundsurface at any desired distance from the device.

The device is capable of easy and uncomplicated assembly or dismounting.To assemble, first the base is laid upon the supporting ground,including the supporting members 10, then crossbars 11 are connectedthereto by means of dowel pins -12. Thereupon the scoop supporting armsl4-15 are connected with blocks, 13, and posts 17 are set up upon saidsupporting members by driving the lower ends of the former within thebores made in said supporting members 10, with the rear sections 14 ofthe scoop supporting arms positioned outwardly of said posts 17, all asshown in FIG. 1. Then the front ends of said scoop supporting arms 1415are inserted within pockets 2930. Prior to connecting of the U- shapedframe member 18-19 through the connecting cylindrical blocks 22 with theupper ends of post 17, sleeves 25 are engaged with the lower ends of theside bars 18 by means of dowel pins 28, for positioning strip 24-therebetween. This having been done, the U-shaped frame member 1S19 isconnected with the upper ends of posts 17, as aforesaid. Finally, case34 is slipped on the said U-shaped frame member 18-49. Dismantling ofthe device is in the inverse order of the procedure just described.

The dismantled parts of the device will constitute a comparativelycompact bundle lending itself to easy storage, packing andtransportation.

Optionally, pockets or sockets 29-30 may be substituted by sleeves, suchas sleeves 29, open at both of their ends, with the front ends of theforward sections of the scoop supporting arms freely slidable therein.This arrangement, shown in FIG. 2, will permit a longitudinal shiftingmovement of the sleeves 29 upon said sections 15 in both directions,thereby permitting adjustment of the degree of sag or dip of the portionof scoop 23 adjacent the front end thereof. Due to the weight of thescoop material, as sleeves 29 are shifted upon sections 15 in a rearwarddirection, a gerater degree of sag will result in the portion of thescoop adjacent the front end thereof, than would ensue when sleeves 29are shifted upon said sections 15 in a forward direction. By virtue ofthis arrangement, and the resulting regulation of the sag of scoop 23adjacent the front end thereof, will regulate the degree of force orvelocity of the downwardly rolling golf balls, thereby in turnregulating the distance at which the rolling golf balls will stop uponthe ground in a forward direction with relation to the device.

The two alternative modes of connecting the front end of scoop 23 withthe scoop supporting arms. 14-15 are for illustration merely, asobviously various other means may be employed, such for instance aspairs of tapes connected with the front end of the scoop to be knottedupon said sections 15. As is obvious, due to the connection of the frontend of scoop 23 with said sections 15, and also due to the spacedrelation of the scoop supporting arms 14-15 with the ground, the frontend of scoop 23 will be supported upon said arms 1415 in an adjusteddistance from the ground as may be required by the user of the deviceand as convenience may dictate.

From the hereinabove description it will be clear that the device hereindisclosed is capable of being set up in limited space quarters forpermitting the user to practice various shots in privacy untilperfection in proper ball stroking and club swinging is attained. Thepractice in limited quarters encourages making of easy shots, and oncethese are mastered, expertness in more difficult shots follows. With theaid of the device herein disclosed each golf shot can be observed andrepeated in quick succession, to the end that the well executed shotsmay be duplicated or repeated until fully mastered and the improperlyexecuted shots corrected.

While there are described herein preferred embodiunents of the presentinvention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. A golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioningupon a supporting surface, an upright frame extending from said base, apair of arms supported by their rear ends upon said base in a mutualspaced relation, said arms being upon an incline gradually diverging inan upward direction from the sup porting surface so as to maintain thefree front ends of said arms in a spaced relation with the supportingsurface, the front ends of said arms being upon a horizontal plane whichis in :a spaced relation with the horizontal plane extended through theupper end of said frame, an oblong sheet of fabric material, means foraffixing the rear end of said sheet to the upper end of said frame, andmeans for supporting the sides of said sheet adjacent the front endthereof upon the free front ends of said arms, said front end of saidsheet being of greater length than the distance between said arms sothat the front end of said sheet depends between said arms in asubstantially arcuate shape, the center of said arcuate shape beingtangential to a horizontal plane between the arms and the supportingsurface defining a discharge area for return of golf balls midway ofsaid base, and said arms being limited in movement toward each other bysaid upright frame.

2. A golf practicing device comprising a base, said base being adaptedfor positioning upon a supporting surface, :a pair of arms supported bytheir rear ends upon said base in a mutual spaced relation, said armsbeing upon an incline gradually diverging in an upward direction fromthe supporting surface so as to maintain the free ends of said arms in aspaced relation with the supporting surface, a pair of vertical postsextending upwardly from said base, a U-shaped frame member having legsreleasably connected to the upper ends of said posts, said U-shapedframe member being upon an upward incline in the direction of the freeends of said arms, a scoop, said scoop consisting of a substantiallytrapezoidal sheet of fabric, means for supporting the shorter end ofsaid trapezoidal fabric upon the legs of said U-shaped frame memberadjacent their connections with said posts in a downwardly dependingrelation therefrom, means for supporting the opposite longer end of saidfabric upon the free ends of said arms, said arms being spaced apart adistance less than the length of the longer end of said fabric wherebysaid longer end extends in a depending are between said arms, the midpoint of said are being tangential to a horizontal plane between saidarms and said supporting surface, and a screen panel of fabric materialsupported by said U- shaped frame member.

3. A golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioningupon a supporting surface, a pair of vertical posts extending from saidbase, said posts being in a mutually spaced relation, a U-shaped framememher, said U-shaped frame member including a pair of vertical sidebars and a horizontal bar connected by its ends to the ends of said sidebars, means for rigidly interconnecting the free ends of said side barswith the upper ends of said vertical posts, said posts limiting movementof said side bars towards each other, a strip of fabric material, meansfor engaging the ends of said strip with the lower ends of said sidebars for maintaining the former in a stretched, taut condition, a scoop,said scoop being made of a substantially trapezoidal sheet of materialhaving sides of equal length and an upper end shorter than the lowerend, said scoop having its upper end connected with said strip wherebysaid scoop is supported in a downwardly hanging relation, arms extendingforwardly from said base for supporting the lower end of said scoop,said arms being spaced for maintaining said lower end of said scoop inan arcuate shape between said arms with the lowest portion of saidarcu-ate scoop spaced from the supporting surface, and a substantiallyrectangular case of fabric material closed on three sides and open alongone side thereof, whereby the free end of said U-shaped frame member iscapable of insertion into said case, in the operative position of saidcase upon said U-shaped member, the marginal portion of the former alongthe open side thereof overlying said strip in such a manner as toprovide a lateral space between the marginal portion of said casing andsaid strip.

4. In a golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioningupon a horizontal supporting surface,

a substantially rectangular frame supported upon said base in aperpendicular relation therewith, a substmtially trapezoidal sheet offabric material supported by its shorter parallel side upon said framein a transverse relation therewith and in a spaced relation from theupper end of said frame, a pair of arms connected by their rear endswith said base, said arms being in a mutually divergent relation andextending forwardly of said frame, said arms being limited in movementtowards each other by said frame, means carried by said trapezoidalsheet adjacent each lateral side thereof and in the proximity of itslonger parallel side for engaging the free ends of said arms, the longerparallel side extending between the free ends of said arms in adepending arcuate shape defining a hammock-like chute which extends in adownwardly divergent relation with a plane coextensive with said frame,the lowermost portion of said arcuate chute being tangential to a,horizontal plane between the free ends of the arms and the supportingsurface, and a panel of fabric material supported by the upper end ofsaid frame in a coextensive relation therewith, said panel filling thespace at the upper portion of said frame above the shorter parallel sideof said sheet.

5. A golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioningupon a supporting surface, a pair of vertical posts extending from saidbase, said posts being in a mutually spaced relation, a U-shaped framememher, said U-shaped frame member including a pair of vertical sidebars and a horizontal bar connected by its ends to the ends of said sidebars, means for rigidly elf) interconnecting the free ends of said sidebars with the upper ends of said vertical posts, a strip of fabricmaterial, means for engaging the ends of said strip with the lower endsof said side bars for maintaining the former in a stretched, tautcondition, a scoop, said scoop being made of a substantially trapezoidalsheet of material having sides of equal length and an upper end shorterthan the lower end, said scoop having its upper end connected with saidstrip whereby said scoop is supported in a downwardly hanging relation,arms extending forwardly from said base for supporting the lower end ofsaid scoop, said arms being spaced for maintaining said lower end ofsaid scoop in an arcuate shape between said arms with the lowest portionof said arcuate scoop spaced from the supporting surface, asubstantially rectangular case of fabric material closed on three sidesand open along one side thereof, whereby the free end of said U-shapedframe member is capable of insertion into said case, in the operativeposition of said case upon said U-shaped member, the forward marginalportion of the former along the open side thereof overlying said stripand spaced therefrom and the back portion of said case being attached tosaid strip for providing means to trap any ball which may be directedupwardly from said scoop.

6. A golf practicing device comprising a base, said base being adaptedfor positioning upon a supporting surface, a pair of arms supported bytheir rear ends upon said base in a mutual spaced relation, said armsbeing upon an incline gradually diverging in an upward direction fromthe supporting surface so as to maintain the free ends of said arms in aspaced relation with the supporting surface, a pair of vertical postsextending upwardly from said base, a U-shaped frame member having legsreleasably connected to the upper ends of said posts, said U-shapedframe member being upon an upward incline in the direction of the freeends of said arms, a scoop, said arms being positioned outwardly of theplane defined by said vertical posts, each of said arms being incontactual relation with the adjacent vertical post for thereby limitingthe flexing of the free ends of said arms towards each other whenweighted by said scoop, said scoop consisting of a substantiallytrapezoidal sheet of fabric, means for supporting the shorter end ofsaid trapezoidal fabric upon the legs of said U- shaped frame memberadjacent their connections with said posts in a downwardly dependingrelation therefrom, means for supporting the opposite longer end of saidfabric upon the free ends of said arms, said arms being spaced apart adistance less than the length of the longer end of said fabric wherebysaid longer end extends in a depending are between said arms, themidpoint of said are being tangential to a horizontal plane between saidarms and said supporting surface, and a screen panel of fabric materialsupported by said U- shaped frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS849,941 Titus Apr. 9, 1907 920,907 Bolton May ll, 1909 1,430,280 BoltonSept. 26, 1922 2,803,291 Meyer Aug. 20, 1957 2,895,737 Blees July 21,1959

